8 Simple Cleaning Hacks For Every Pet Owner

Pets are cute, regardless of dogs, puppies, cats or kittens. They are good companions but at the same time, there are downsides to owning a pet, and that is cleaning up after them No matter how you train them, they are bound to make a mess one way or another. Well, here we have compiled 8 simple hacks for every pet owner out there to keep your home clean.

1) Paint Roller + Duct Tape To Remove Pet Hair

No vacuum cleaner, no problem. Simply use a paint roller and wrap it around with duct tape. Make sure the sticky side of the tape is facing outward. Now, you can roll the duct tape to remove those annoying pet hair from your furniture like sofa and couch in no time!

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2) Wear Rubber Gloves To Pick Up Pet Hair

Got a pair of rubber gloves lying inside the kitchen drawer? Put them on and pick up all those pesky dog or cat hair on the carpet or sofa. The rubbery surface ensures the hair will instantly stick to the gloves.

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3) Eliminate Pet Odours With Homemade Air Freshener

Sure, you can always opt for the easy way by simply purchasing a can of air freshener from a hardware store or supermarket. But wouldn’t it be great if you can make it your own without all the harmful chemicals? All you have to do is add a few drops of your favourite essential oil (lavender oil would be nice) and dilute it with water. Store the mixture into a spray bottle and spritz it whenever you want to get rid of your pet odour.

Alternatively, you can mix 1/2 cup of baking soda (you can get it in a speciality store like Ace Hardware) and add 10 drops of your favourite essential oil into a bowl or a mason jar with the lid poked with enough holes to release the scent in the air.

The third choice to eliminate your pet odour is to fill up an empty spray bottle with plain white vinegar. The vinegar contains acetic acid that helps to neutralise and absorb the odours. But if you cant’t handle the pungent smell of the vinegar, just dilute it with water.

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4) Get Rid Of Pet Stains Effectively With White Vinegar & Baking Soda

Who knew that these common household items can be this handy? Here’s why: The white vinegar acts as a disinfectant which helps to break down the uric acid. Baking soda, in the meantime, is used to absorb the odour that caused by the pet stains. They work on stained carpets as well as other fabrics.

All you need to do is pour some white vinegar over the stains. But remember not to leave it soggy. Once the stain is soaked with vinegar, sprinkle some baking soda on top of it. The mixture will start fizzing the moment they react together. Now, let the magic of white vinegar and baking soda do their job and wait at least a day or two to dry up. Scoop up the dried mixture and throw it into a trash bin and vacuum the rest of them on the carpet.

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5) Stop Your Dog Or Puppy From Chewing Your Belongings With Clove Oil

Dogs or puppies just love to chew stuff like shoes, boxes or even chair legs. Instead of punishing your pet for doing so, here’s a better alternative: just rub some clove oil on your belongings. Your pet dog or puppy will stay away due to the oil’s bitter taste.

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6) Prevent Your Cat From Scratching Your Furniture With Citrus Scent

First things first, you have to understand that cats love to scratch things not because they feel the need to piss you off. The truth is, scratching helps to stretch their muscles and also keep their claws healthy. You can always declaw your cat but that would be an inhumane thing to do. So, the best way to prevent your cat from scratching your favourite sofa or couch is to spray some citrus scent. Not at the cat, but the furniture. It could be any kind of citrus scent like lemon or orange essential oil. The strong smell of the scent would deter the cat from scratching. In the meantime, invest in a scratching post for your cat and place it in a designated area.

Image Credit: blog.healthypets.com

7) Stop Your Dog From Digging With Citrus Peels

Your dog loves to dig your garden? You can easily avoid that by scattering some citrus peels like orange, lemon or grapefruit around the garden soil. Dogs commonly hate citrus due to the strong smell.

Image Credit: thesprucepets.com

8) Grease Your Pet’s Food Bowl

Is your pet bowl a sticky mess at the bottom due to food crumbs and dried saliva? You can try greasing it with a bit of olive oil since it’s easier to clean. Olive oil also helps prevent the food from sticking to the bowl. Not to mention it contains health benefits for your cat or dog like boosting the immune system and aiding in weight loss.

Casey is a freelance writer and a movie enthusiast, where some of his close friends dubbed him as "walking encyclopedia of movies". He also frequently blog movie reviews under "Casey's Movie Mania" (www.caseymoviemania.com)